Day: September 10, 2016

Earlier this week the beloved show Star Trek celebrated it’s 50th anniversary. I’ve been a trekkie since middle school. I remember that one of the ways that I met one of my good high school friends was when the two of us started to try and stump each other with Star Trek trivia on the school bus. I even remember distinctly hearing about when Next Generation was coming out, and I was apprehensive but excited.

Thankfully, Star Trek: TNG lived up to the hype, and gave us all 7 years of amazing television. The other series that have spawned have been pretty good as well, although I haven’t managed to watch all of them yet, as I lost track of the various series when I was raising kids. It’s on my bucket list to re-watch everything again someday.

Star Trek was amazing because it presented us with stories of a future of humanity that although still flawed, was often the type of society we strive to achieve. Star Trek was about mankind becoming better and exploring the universe around them. Exploration was key to Star Trek. Sometimes that exploration came in the traditional sci-fi form of warping through the galaxy to places unknown. Other times, that exploration was less physical, exploring the human condition, often through the face of alien creatures. It was this sense of exploration, on so many levels, that made the show so memorable.

I grew up into an adult while watching Star Trek: TNG, and will always have a special place in my heart for that universe. I know many people like the new re-booted universe, but personally, I spent so much time and intellectual investment (through things like the RPG and ship battle game) in the classic world of Trek, that I just don’t feel the same connection to the new universe.